Surgical truss



July 14, 1953 w. E. CARTER 2,645,221

' SURGICAL TRUSS Filed Jan. 2, 1952 7 v .[7 INVENTOR. lo /Zz'a m CaricrPatented July 14, 1953 1 William Carter,*Andersom*Ind.yApbuationranuaryz,1952, serialNq. 264,569,

his inventionv relates to .improvements in a surgical'tru'ss.

It is an object of 'this Ainvention to provide a new and means areprovided forlrholding the `elements thereof in assembled. relationship.

It is a further object Atc,.provide aktruss of simple and economicalnature,A requiring the minimum of parts. j

Still another object of the invention is to pro# vide a lightweighttruss which may be quickly disassembled for replacement and cleaning ofparts.

Another object of the invention is-to provide a pressure plate ofimproved configuration, providing more'efcient and more comfortablesupport. A

improved truss wherein simplifiedv 4 claims; (01428;100) 1f A finalobject of this invention is to provide a truss wherein the pressureelement is slidable along said belt and will be held in adjustedposition when the belt is tightened.

With the above and other objects in View, as will be presently apparent,the invention consists in general of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational' the larly showing themanner in which the lower Y portion of the truss is bent inwardly forupward pressure on the hernia. f

In the form of the invention shown herein, the numeral ID designates theshaped plate which forms the pressure element ,of the truss. The plateI0 is generally ovaloidrin shape, the lower portion, however, beingextended and tapered, as shown in Figuresv 1 and 2, to form a projectingtongue Ii having a blunt rounded end I2. The tongue II is bent inwardlylas shown in Figure 4. Thus, the tapered tongue is well adapted toproject down into the side of the body crotch and being inwardly turnedserves to-exert "pressure" inwardly and'- upwardly immediatelyjbelowtherupture'are,

Thecenter portion of the'plate I0 -is cupped 'inwardly as at I3.Theprojecting, rounded boss thuskr formed is placed 'directly on ktherupture point,A and: servestof hold'-.inwardly with r`min-l imamirritation' the displaced lbody portions.

To prevent the marginal 'edges 'of the plate I0 from digging into thebody, and especially upon movement or change in body lposition off thewearer, the said marginal edge is bent slightly outwardly to form acontinuous marginal flange I4. lThe plate I0 is preferably formed frommetal, such as aluminum, but may be formed ofplastic or anysuitable,suiciently stiff material.`

To further protect the body from cutting or irritation by the platethere is provided the,

resilient pad I5. This pad is of the same .shape or outline Aas theplate I0 but slightly larger, asy

shown, so that the marginal edge'of the padwill extend beyond themarginal edge of the plate.r

At 'the center of the pad I5 is formed the opening I6, this openingbeing of the same' shape and very slightly larger than the cupped centerportion I3 of the plate` I0. cup to pass through the'resilient pad fordirect, rm pressure on the rupture. y

In the plate II) on either side of the cupped center portion I3 areformed the elongated slots Il. these directly overlie the slots Il inthe plate.

Through these cooperating slots is drawn the flexible strap I9 which hastheusual buckle 20. The strap enters one pair of slots from'the innerface of the truss, runs along the outside of the plate I0 and againpasses to vthe rear face of the truss by means of the second set ofslots I1 and I8.

It will thus be clearly seen that the pressure elements and resilientpad will not only be adjustably slidable along the strap but whenpressure is applied by tightening of the strap, the

- strap will engage the edges of the holes for locking action. Y

The strap also securely holds theseparate elenevertheless to beunderstood that minor changes may be made therein without departing fromthe spirity andscope of the invention as claimed.

This permits the I The pad I5 has a similar vset of slots I8 and y Whatis claimed is:

1. In a truss structure including a pressure member and flexiblesupporting belt; a shaped pressure plate, and a flexible protective padadjacent said plate, said plate and pad having at least two sets ofoverlying slots therein to receive the flexible belt, said belt therebysimultaneously supporting the truss and holding said plate and pad inassembled relationship.

2. In a truss structure including a pressure member and flexiblesupporting belt; a plurality of overlying pressure member elements, andat least two sets of overlying slots therein to receive said ilexiblebelt, said belt thereby simultaneously supporting the truss and holdingsaid plate and pressure member elements in assembled relationship.

3. In a truss structure including a pressure member and exiblesupporting belt; a shaped pressure plate having an inwardly cuppedcenter, an outwardly directed marginal ange and an inwardly anddownwardly turned supporting tongue extending from the lower portion ofsaid plate, a iiexible cushion element adjacent said plate, and at leasttwo pairs of overlying slots formed through said cushion element andsaid plate to receive said belt and hold said cushion element and platein assembled relationship.

said plate further being cupped inwardly at the center to form adome-shaped pressure point and having a slot on either side ofs'aidpressure point, a fiexible protective pad adjacent said plate and of thesame shape as and slightly larger than said plate and having slotstherein corresponding to and overlying the slots in said plate, said padfurther having an aperture therein to receive said dome shaped pressurepoint, said belt passing through said sets of overlying slots to therebyhold said pressure member elements in assembled relationship.

WILLIAM E. CARTER.

References Cited in the ille of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 8,567 Switzerland June 20, 1894 119,699 Great Britain Oct.11, 1918 750,333 France May 22, 1933

